Trumbull Historical Society Awarded $202K to Catalog Collection

WARREN, Ohio – A $202,634 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services will help the Trumbull County Historical Society catalog its collection and hire a collections manager.

The grant will fund the equipment and resources needed to catalog the museum’s 15,000 artifacts, create conditions reports for them and to properly store the items.

“This includes funds for the best museum collections cabinets in the country.  Vacuum sealed, gasketed to ensure proper air filtration – the works,” said Meghan Reed, director of the history society, in a statement.

Among the items in the Trumbull County Historical Society’s collection are memorabilia from General Electric’s Lamps for Liberty campaign, paintings by John Bell, dishwater from the 1700s and  chairs made by the father of attorney Clarence Darrow, who made his name in the infamous “Scopes Monkey Trial.”

In all, the collection has 180 pieces of furniture, 194 pieces of art, 1,500 stone tools made by Native Americans, 2,500 household items, 2,300 items from local businesses, 700 textile and clothing items, 120 sports artifacts and 420 items related to military service.

“Many people don’t understand just how many artifacts TCHS holds.  We steward over 20,000 items for current and future generations and many of those items are in need of repair,” said board president Julie Green. “This project will assist us with identifying objects that need professional conservation work and create a database for the public to view our collection online.”

The grant is part of the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Museums for American program, an annual grant supporting collections nationwide.

“These grants help museums at the institutional level and are essential for the vital role they play in their local communities,” said Paula Gangopadhyay, deputy director of the institute’s Office of Museum Services.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.